15.5.16

Westfalia Schalke

1908

The earliest known photograph of Schalke 04 (above) dates from 1908, when the club was still known as Westfalia Schalke. At the time of the club's formation in 1904 the protagonists were around 14 years of age.They came from the neighbourhood of the Consolidation Colliery, and the team still carry the nicknameDie Knappen (The Miners).The class divide in German Association football effectively excluded Schalke from official league competition until 1912.